Currently, most electrostatic latent images are developed using dry toners in image forming apparatuses such as copiers, printers, and facsimile machines employing a method of developing electrostatic latent images. In these cases, image forming apparatuses are equipped with a toner container such as a toner bottle or a toner cartridge containing a dry toner which is fed to the developing device from the toner container.
Accordingly, there has been in demand a toner container which can assuredly prevent toner leakage during storage or transportation; can be easily attached to and removed from an image forming apparatus; can prevent toner leakage during toner container exchange; is not costly; and further is desirably recoverable and recyclable. Therefore, much research effort has been directed toward the development of such a toner container (refer to Patent Documents 1 and 2).
In contrast, specifically via digital image formation, toner images exhibiting excellent thin-line reproduction and high resolution have been demanded. As toners satisfying these requirements, chemical toners represented by polymerized toners may be exemplified, from which it is expected to be able to develop ultra-low temperature fixing toners employing polymerized toner techniques (refer to Patent Documents 3 and 4).
Further, when a low temperature fixing toner is stored in a state where the toner is placed in an image forming apparatus for an extended duration, there have been noted problems such as adhesion of toner particles among themselves or adhesion between the toner and the toner container depending on the environment conditions, resulting in an unreliable toner supply from the toner container outlet.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication Open to Public Inspection (hereinafter, referred to as JP-A) No. 2006-163365
Patent Document 2: JP-A No. 2005-300911
Patent Document 3: JP-A No. 2006-250990
Patent Document 4: JP-A No. 2005-234083